Ad Astra Per Alas Porci
by XxTwistedIvyxX
Summary: When Herschel's young niece shows up on his doorstep; she brings chaos. Another mouth to feed, rearranges the 'pecking order' and not everyone likes it.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One: Ain't Never Gonna Be The Same_

It was beautiful; you'd never even guess. The pinky orange clouds looked breathtaking; she'd never taken the time to even really watch the sunrise before. She had taken a lot for granted; she knew it and would freely admit it. She never thought she'd actually miss her asinine job; her overbearing mother or mooch of a brother. But she did. and if she could change anything she would. The soft fresh morning air blew in through the windows; the soft gentle hum of the katydids where the only sound she could hear; the occasional squeal of her own tires. With a thin middle finger she pushed a pair of old black aviators back into place, and hung her arm out the window. A pathetic whine came from the passenger seat next to her; a large grey wiemaraner lifted his hauntingly humanlike blue green eyes to meet its' owners.

"I know bud; were almost done." As if he understood he sat straighter shifting his weight to his hind legs, and turned his attention out the window. Poor thing; he'd been in the truck forever. He got terribly rammy too when he'd didn't do his daily exercise, stretch his legs a bit. Dallas; that's where she was coming from. What the hell had happened anyway?

All she did was go out to take Max for their normal after dinner run; and there was Mr. Collins watering his lawn as always. All she did was ask him how his day had been, and he turned on her faster than a fat kid running after an ice cream truck, he had knocked her down on the pavement. He skin was pale, greyish even; and his fingers were tearing at her skin, and his teeth gnashing at her. The fore arm she held up was the only thing holding him back; it seemed to instinctively go in his neck right under the older man's chin. Max yipped and whined; pulling at his leash desperately. She hadn't had the strength anymore to fight both of them; the fingers that had to tightly held on to poor Maximus's leash let go; and she prayed she wouldn't lose him forever. Desperately she fought with the man; her knees tried to get under him to kick him off; but he was almost…rabid. Fisting her left hand she hit him in the head with the butt of her small palm.  
Then she heard a sound. She'd never heard in her life, a deep growl, warning. It hadn't come from the thing on top of her...but behind it. She blinked for a moments trying to register everything that was happening but when she opened her eyes he was gone, just gone. Struggling to pull her petite frame up into a sitting position, she gasped. Max…Maximus hovered dangerously over Collins as his body flopped like a fish; his neck almost completely torn through. Maximus looked at her with those big blue eyes, and trotted back over to her as if had been nothing.

He proved to her at that moment that what she had always joked about was true; he was her 'big strong man'. Reaching over she scratched behind one of those big floppy grey ears with her fingers. Her baby boy. He'd saved her life, a few times now...from…them. She squinted as the sun glared in her deep blue eyes even with the damn sunglasses, as she grasped the brim of the tight fitting 'mossy oak' baseball cap yanking it down a bit. It was old and worn...but lucky. So many good things had happened in this hat, she got served for the first time under age...in this hat; got her first kiss; bought Max home from the breeder's house; but all that was gone now. It was all dust in the wind. Her life was over; if she could just get _there,_ she'd be okay. That was assuming that they were okay; doubt started to creep in. Wiggling in her cut off shorts; she tried to get the feeling back in her ass, it didn't help that her legs were sticking to the vinyl of the seat. Sighing loudly; she pulled her arm in from the window and settled in on the wheel; reaching with the opposite she opened the glove box and grabbed the beat to shit pack of cigarettes that laid next to a large black handgun; flipping the top with ease one handed she glanced away from the road. _Five._ That was it. _Five.  
"_Well_," _she moaned, bring the box up to her lips; she pulled one out with her teeth. Tossing the box back into the glove box and slammed her palm against the cigarette lighter. Maximus turned her head to look at her, she swore with a look of disappointment. "Smoke 'em if ya got 'em…You want some tunes? I could use some tunes." She mumbled, grabbing the iPod that sat in the cup holder between them. She store straight ahead fixated on reaching her uncles…and avoiding the intense gaze of her co-pilot.

_Well, I walk into the room__  
__Passing out hundred dollar bills__  
__And it kills and it thrills like the horns on my Silverado grill__  
__And I buy the bar a double round of crown__  
__And everybody's getting down__  
__An' this town ain't never gonna be the same._

Smiling, she tugged at the hat again. Taking a deep hard drag of the cigarette she pursed her somewhat chapped dry lips exhaling the smoke. Drumming her thumbs against the steering wheel she smiled wider. It was the little things now...like this. She took a deep breath and belted out the chorus like her life depended on it.

"_Cause I saddle up my horse__  
__And I ride into the city__  
__I make a lot of noise__  
__Cause the girls__  
__They are so pretty__  
__Riding up and down Broadway__  
__On my old stud Leroy__  
__And the girls say__  
__Save a horse, ride a cowboy.__  
__Everybody says: __  
__SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY!"_


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two: Like You Stole Something_

"Car." Andrea yelled. Loudly, from her position on top the RV rifle in hand. She cupped her hand raising it to her forehead as she squinted trying to see. The black truck kicked up a lot of dry dust and gravel. "Black pick-up. Comin' fast!" Shane lifted his head from the handgun he'd been cleaning and grabbed the loaded shotgun that leaned next to him, giving it a pump.

"Walkers don't drive." Dale said shaking his head; earning a glare.

"I'll get Rick." Glenn said quickly jumping up from the folding chair.

"Rick's a little busy." Shane gritted his teeth.

Maggie was at the kitchen sink; Beth washing her drying like they had been doing for a while now. Herschel climbed down the steps, shuffling a bit from sleep deprivation.  
"He's going to need another IV, but should be alright." He seemed to be speaking more to himself. Maggie gazed out the window that hung over the sink, not sure what she was even looking at. Her heart stopped for a minute. A black Ford pick-up, came roaring down the drive way.

"Daddy..." she all but screamed pointing frantically. "It's Annie!" Beth all but shoved her out of the way to look out the window.

"Thank you, God." Herschel looked heavenward.

Pulling into her normal parking spot she sighed. Finally relaxing in her seat, she hung her head down laying it against the steering wheel, as Maximus whined trying to get out. She could see the kitchen fan on in the window; and she laughed a bit as Beth had herself all but plastered against the glass waving. She jumped a bit when she heard a tap against the glass of the window. Turning her heart jumped into her throat when she was met but the barrel end of a shotgun staring her in the face.

"Get out slowly, put your hands on the hood," a large man with a shaved head seemed to bark at her through the glass. She let go of the steering wheel, slowly in shock. She spread her fingers and and brought her arms next to her head. In what she thought was pretty much the international sign of 'I surrender.' They were all a bit surprised when the 'threat' climbed out of the truck, she was a little thing. Tiny. 4'11 maybe five foot if she was lucky.. She 'owed' a bit when she laid her palms flat on the hot black hood leaning forward a bit, and shifted uncomfortably from one barefoot to the other on the gravel of the drive. She swallowed hard. There were a lot of these...strangers..and two of them, no make the three had guns pointed right at her.

"Turn around." She could hear Max whining louder to get out; he really had to go pee. She did as she was told; arms still up by her head. She was surprised and a bit taken aback when the large bald man shoved his hands into the pockets of her jeans. The familiar sound of the screen door slamming brought her back to reality; and the thumping of running bare feet.

"Get your damn guns away from MY COUSIN!" Maggie screeched, Anne flinched a bit and she finally looked up hardly gazing at the group that had surrounded her. Raising a hand she ripped off the sunglasses from her face, and looked around without being threatened for the first time. Her gaze met with Maggie, standing to the porch hands on her hips trying to be all badass. As if they shared a brain both started moving toward each other at the same time.

"Hey Mags." Anne said softly; the two wrapped eachother in a tight hug. Anne choked a bit; as her throat started to feel raw, and she cleared it alittle.

"Are you crying?" Maggie whispered against the younger womans long dark brown hair.

"not yet."

"Come on." Maggie let go a bit still leaving one arm slung over her shoulder, dragging her towards the house.

"I will, but he's really gotta pee." Anne mumbled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, and she jerked a thumb in the direction of the truck.

"Maxi? Maxi's alright?" She didn't wait for an answer, rushing to the truck practically shoving Shane out of the way as she flung the door open.

"His name isn't Maxi…"


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N; Alrighty here we go: I own nothing! Except Anne, It's pretty safe to say I own her. Please review!_

_Chapter Three: Kin_

* * *

The hot water that pelted her on the back felt like the things dreams were made of. A low guttural sigh came from somewhere at the back of her throat; she didn't even recognize the sound of her own voice. Turning, she looked up; letting the water rain down on her face, her lips slightly parted she spit a bit as some made its way in her mouth.  
A soft knock on the door interrupted her bliss.

"Anne, hate to do it to you; but wrap it up. We've been using a lot of water today; don't wanna risk the well running dry." Uncle Herschel's voice called through the door.

"Okay." She called. Her hands tangled themselves in the mass of dark hair; trying to rinse all the fruity shampoo from it. Reaching out a shaky hand she turned both handles until the water stopped spraying down on her. Trembling fingers wrapped themselves around the shower curtain; sliding it open as her feet meet the cool tile of the floor making her shiver.  
Quickly grabbing one of the towels off the sink she bent over flipping her hair over and fashioned the towel into a turban, and grabbed the other; wrapping herself with the other. She cleared her throat a bit; as it started to feel raw…that horrible raw feeling right before burst into hysterics...that's what she was wrestling with.  
Another knock. Damn, she couldn't catch a minute. What was going on? Who were all the people outside? Why had they practically frisked her? What would have happened if Maggie hadn't come out when she did? Maggie had already told her about the boy…and Otis. Poor thing. Poor, poor Otis…

"Annie, are you ok?" Maggie asked. Her forehead pressed hard against the wood of the door. She sighed pulling herself together.

"Yeah fine."

* * *

Annie all but laughed when she walked out on the porch and saw Maximus, laying down; exhausted on the wood, his legs spread, testees cooling against the cool wood. Her mom had always liked to point out when he was 'tee-bagging the floor'. Squatting down at the knees she tickled behind his large floppy ears. Glenn smiled a bit as he saw the new girl heading over their way. She was cute; looked a lot like Maggie. She was short; and had long red-brown hair that hung down by her hips. Her bare feet thumped hard against the wood porch. She was petite; small all-round. She wore short jean cut offs that left very little to the imagination, and a dark charcoal colored wife beater, with the words 'Built Ford Tough' scrawled across her breast. Plopping down ungracefully next to Maggie; she fished in her back pocket, retrieving a beat up looking pack of cigarettes, and popping one between her chapped lips.

"How was the shower?" Maggie asked.

"Amazin'." She groaned. Lighting the business end. Herschel shook his head eyeing her hand distastefully; taking a deep breath he sighed. Maggie leaned in laying her head against the younger woman's shoulder. "What happened to your Momma?" she whispered. Anne took a deep breath, bit her lower lip.

"We did good. For a while..." she whispered. "You know Daddy's whole 2012 thing ….he was kinda right." The two girls laughed. It was highly inappropriate...but it was the little things. "She got bit….I locked her in the bathroom." She left out the final detail. Momma had turned about two hours in and she was banging herself around in there, moaning. Anne couldn't take it…She wouldn't want to be left like that…be that. She ripped the door open and fired two shots right into her own mothers head; and she knew she would go to hell. For that. Hanging her head down she groaned. Maximus as if on instinct made his way over to her collapsing against her; laying his large head on her thigh.

"You did well." Herschel clapped her on the shoulder.

"I dunno…" she sighed. Taking another hard rag, she smiled. "I brought presents!" she perked up all but running to the truck. Like a kid on Christmas. Maggie and Herschel followed at a much slower paced as the giddy woman bounced a bit ripping the trap off the bed of her pick up. "It's all non-perishables;" as Maggie's widened.  
"Courtesy of Daddy."

"I always thought he was paranoid..." Maggie said almost sadly.

"You weren't the only one." Anne muttered.

A lone blonde woman sauntered up leaning against the truck she offered a weak smile. She was pretty, Anne figured early to mid 20's. Blue eyes, nice hair.

"Hi, Andrea." She stuck her hand out. Taking it in her own Anne smiled.

"Annie."

"I'm sorry about all that..." she said; waving her hand in the big bald man's direction.

"No, it's cool..." Andrea seemed to stare at the burning cigarette in Anne's hand wantingly. Anne gaze traveled down to her hand until it clicked. "Oh you want one?" she waved the pack around mindlessly.

"You don't mind?"

"Nah," she waved her hand dismissively. Tossing the pack to Andrea, with a smirk. "I'm a good sharer." Maggie snorted.

"Since when?"

"I'm turnin' over a new leaf!" Anne huffed; crossing her arms over her chest.

"I still remember when Tommy Hagar tried to take your last sheet of button candy and you kicked him in his gonads." The woman started laughing.

"Stole…He stole all my shit...whenever I visited…where is the prick?" Maggie sighed and hung head a bit giving it a shake.

"Good riddance..."

"Annie MAY!" Herschel bellowed.

"What? He was a jerk…"

"Come on, there's some people you should meet.." Andrea said giving Anne's upper arm a bit of a tug.

* * *

Anne stood back a bit; a wealth of new information sinking in. The older man; Dale. He was a sweetheart. Maximus sat at his feet as he showered the dog with affection.

"Maximus?" The young Asian boy; Glenn asked.

"Yeah, you know. Maximus...like in Gladiator." She stooped down the stroke him. "Cause he's my big strong man." She cooed.

"You know; noise. Draws 'em in..Dogs not a good…" Shane said his arms crossed over his chest.

"He's doesn't bark..." she hissed cutting him off. "He's a bird dog; he knows better."

"Bird dog?" Glenn asked, giving a slight tug on his hat. Anne laughed loudly; tossing her head back damp hair clinging to her arms.

"City boy, huh?" she winked. "A bird dog…hunting' dog..for birds.."

"Oh."

* * *

Dinner went well surprisingly. Rick and his wife Lori had joined them inside while the others seemed content to camp out. Annie couldn't help but notice the bags that hung under Rick's eyes and Lori looked as if she could break into hysterics at any moment. There was an awkward long silence and Annie was trying to think of something to say; anything to break up the silence.

"I like pie…" she mumbled. "Anybody want some pie?" Annie stood pushing herself from the table. Maggie chuckled.

"Baby; there's no pie..." Maggie chuckled her head between her hands.

"No pie! Damn this just friggin blows…I'm um going outside for a smoke." Her dark blue eyes scanned the table, when Herschel nodded she guessed that meant she was excused. Trotting on her merry way she paused at the screen door, her eyes settled back on Maximus who had himself settled in-between Rick and Lori seemingly staring at them pathically, waiting for a scrap of dinner. Anything.  
With a shake of her head; she pushed the door open her bare feet thudded against the old wood porch as she settled onto the step. Fishing out a cigarette she placed it between her lips, flicking the bic to life she inhaled deeply. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the man from earlier introduced as Daryl. He leaned heavily against the railing not looking at her even once.

"Hey." Anne muttered the cigarette bounced between her lips as she spoke with it still in.  
He grunted.

"I'm Annie."

"I know." Alright well, this was one of the most awkward conversations she'd ever had. Did this really even count as a conversation? Plucking another cigarette from the pack she held it between her thumb and forefinger she held it out to him.

"Want one?" He all but snatched it from her muttering a begrudged 'thanks.'

"You got a lighter?" his raspy voice asked.

"You betcha." She tossed it to the man.

That dog of yers any good?"

"Huh?"

"Ya said he's a huntin dog; any good?"

"Oh yeah, he loves it." With a nodded he took along drag, and turned on his heel leaving her alone on the stoop; only the soft amber glow of the porch light shining down on her. She store into the inky blackness of the field in front of her; the stars looked beautiful tonight. She was wondering...walkers...did they have souls? Did 'they' go someplace better? Was her Mother honestly in 'heaven' now? Guilt rose up in her throat; that woman had dealt with so much _shit_ from her and all she could do for the woman was blow her damn head off…who the hell does that? _You._ She jumped nearly a foot when the screen door slammed loudly behind her.

"I thought you quit?" the disappointed but yet gentle voice of her Uncle flooded her ears.

"So did I." she laughed bitterly. "I took it up again recently." She took a lot deep drag, the smoke escaped in swirly clouds from between her lips. "For my health." Herschel sniggered. She was surprised when the old man eased himself ever so gently down next to her. She could have laughed when she heard his knees crack followed by a groan.

"Ain't any shame in it; you know." Anne raised an eyebrow, her arms folded over her knees; resting on them.

"What's that?" she asked,

"Leaving' your momma…couldn't have very well brought her…there isn't any shame in it." She shook her head. If she had told him the truth. He'd be ashamed for her. Ashamed she was his kin. Hell; he might even kick her out.  
"I know you, baby. I was there when you were born…guilt. It's chewing at you."

"Yeah it is..." she raked her slim long fingers through the dark mass of hair on her head. Cigarette sandwiched between her lips. "How do you get over something like that?"

"What leaving her?"

"That…" she exhaled, the dense smoke creating almost a halo around her head. "And all the other stuff..."

"You move on, sugar…we all make mistakes..."

"I almost killed her."

"Ya weren't trying to." Herschel patted her shoulder, giving it a strong but gentle squeeze. "Beth's making up the pull out for you."


End file.
